diff --git a/lisp/defun.lisp b/lisp/defun.lisp
index a6d80f5..a18c33a 100644
--- a/lisp/defun.lisp
+++ b/lisp/defun.lisp
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-(set! list (lambda l l))
-
 (set! symbolp (lambda (x) (equal (type x) "SYMB")))
 
 (set! defun!
diff --git a/src/init.c b/src/init.c
index 3f3566c..4443469 100644
--- a/src/init.c
+++ b/src/init.c
@@ -36,7 +36,6 @@
 #include "io/fopen.h"
 #include "time/psse_time.h"
 
-// extern char *optarg; /* defined in unistd.h */
 
 /**
  * Bind this compiled `executable` function, as a Lisp function, to
@@ -160,14 +159,22 @@ int main( int argc, char *argv[] ) {
         print_banner(  );
     }
 
-    debug_print( L"About to initialise cons pages\n", DEBUG_BOOTSTRAP );
-
     initialise_cons_pages(  );
 
-    debug_print( L"Initialised cons pages, about to bind\n", DEBUG_BOOTSTRAP );
+//     TODO: oblist-as-hashmap (which is what we ultimately need) is failing hooribly.
+//     What actually goes wrong is: 
+//     1. the hashmap is created; 
+//     2. everything bound in init seems to get initialised properly;
+//     3. the REPL starts up;
+//     4. Anything typed into the REPL (except ctrl-D) results in immediate segfault.
+//     5. If ctrl-D is the first thing typed into the REPL, shutdown proceeds normally.
+//     Hypothesis: binding stuff into a hashmap oblist either isn't happening or 
+//      is wrking ok, but retrieving from a hashmap oblist is failing.
+    debug_print( L"About to initialise oblist\n", DEBUG_BOOTSTRAP );
 
-//    TODO: oblist-as-hashmap (which is what we ultimately need) is failing hooribly
-//    oblist = inc_ref( make_hashmap( 32, NIL, TRUE ) );
+    oblist = make_hashmap( 32, NIL, TRUE );
+
+    debug_print( L"About to bind\n", DEBUG_BOOTSTRAP );
 
     /*
      * privileged variables (keywords)
diff --git a/src/io/io.h b/src/io/io.h
index f350c13..dc9e8de 100644
--- a/src/io/io.h
+++ b/src/io/io.h
@@ -36,5 +36,5 @@ struct cons_pointer
 lisp_slurp( struct stack_frame *frame, struct cons_pointer frame_pointer,
             struct cons_pointer env );
 
-
+char *lisp_string_to_c_string( struct cons_pointer s );
 #endif
diff --git a/src/io/print.c b/src/io/print.c
index 8f4b88e..5061b10 100644
--- a/src/io/print.c
+++ b/src/io/print.c
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ void print_map( URL_FILE * output, struct cons_pointer map ) {
             print( output, hashmap_get( map, key ) );
 
             if ( !nilp( c_cdr( ks ) ) ) {
-                url_fputws( L", ", output );
+                url_fputws( L" ", output );
             }
         }
 
diff --git a/src/memory/hashmap.c b/src/memory/hashmap.c
index fcbff31..f2911e5 100644
--- a/src/memory/hashmap.c
+++ b/src/memory/hashmap.c
@@ -18,81 +18,6 @@
 #include "memory/hashmap.h"
 #include "memory/vectorspace.h"
 
-/**
- * Return a hash value for the structure indicated by `ptr` such that if
- * `x`,`y` are two separate structures whose print representation is the same
- * then `(sxhash x)` and `(sxhash y)` will always be equal.
- */
-uint32_t sxhash( struct cons_pointer ptr ) {
-    // TODO: Not Yet Implemented
-    /* TODO: should look at the implementation of Common Lisp sxhash?
-     * My current implementation of `print` only addresses URL_FILE
-     * streams. It would be better if it also addressed strings but
-     * currently it doesn't. Creating a print string of the structure
-     * and taking the hash of that would be one simple (but not necessarily
-     * cheap) solution.
-     */
-    /* TODO: sbcl's implementation of `sxhash` is in src/compiler/sxhash.lisp
-     * and is EXTREMELY complex, and essentially has a different dispatch for
-     * every type of object. It's likely we need to do the same.
-     */
-    return 0;
-}
-
-/**
- * Get the hash value for the cell indicated by this `ptr`; currently only
- * implemented for string like things and integers.
- */
-uint32_t get_hash( struct cons_pointer ptr ) {
-    struct cons_space_object *cell = &pointer2cell( ptr );
-    uint32_t result = 0;
-
-    switch ( cell->tag.value ) {
-        case INTEGERTV:
-            /* Note that we're only hashing on the least significant word of an
-             * integer. */
-            result = cell->payload.integer.value & 0xffffffff;
-            break;
-        case KEYTV:
-        case STRINGTV:
-        case SYMBOLTV:
-            result = cell->payload.string.hash;
-            break;
-        case TRUETV:
-            result = 1;         // arbitrarily
-            break;
-        default:
-            result = sxhash( ptr );
-            break;
-    }
-
-    return result;
-}
-
-/**
- * Free the hashmap indicated by this `pointer`.
- */
-void free_hashmap( struct cons_pointer pointer ) {
-    struct cons_space_object *cell = &pointer2cell( pointer );
-
-    if ( hashmapp( pointer ) ) {
-        struct vector_space_object *vso = cell->payload.vectorp.address;
-
-        dec_ref( vso->payload.hashmap.hash_fn );
-        dec_ref( vso->payload.hashmap.write_acl );
-
-        for ( int i = 0; i < vso->payload.hashmap.n_buckets; i++ ) {
-            if ( !nilp( vso->payload.hashmap.buckets[i] ) ) {
-                debug_printf( DEBUG_ALLOC,
-                              L"Decrementing bucket [%d] of hashmap at 0x%lx\n",
-                              i, cell->payload.vectorp.address );
-                dec_ref( vso->payload.hashmap.buckets[i] );
-            }
-        }
-    } else {
-        debug_printf( DEBUG_ALLOC, L"Non-hashmap passed to `free_hashmap`\n" );
-    }
-}
 
 /**
  * A lisp function signature conforming wrapper around get_hash, q.v..
@@ -103,32 +28,6 @@ struct cons_pointer lisp_get_hash( struct stack_frame *frame,
     return make_integer( get_hash( frame->arg[0] ), NIL );
 }
 
-/**
- * Make a hashmap with this number of buckets, using this `hash_fn`. If 
- * `hash_fn` is `NIL`, use the standard hash funtion.
- */
-struct cons_pointer make_hashmap( uint32_t n_buckets,
-                                  struct cons_pointer hash_fn,
-                                  struct cons_pointer write_acl ) {
-    struct cons_pointer result = make_vso( HASHTV,
-                                           ( sizeof( struct cons_pointer ) *
-                                             ( n_buckets + 2 ) ) +
-                                           ( sizeof( uint32_t ) * 2 ) );
-
-    struct hashmap_payload *payload =
-        ( struct hashmap_payload * ) &pointer_to_vso( result )->payload;
-
-    payload->hash_fn = inc_ref( hash_fn );
-    payload->write_acl = inc_ref( write_acl );
-
-    payload->n_buckets = n_buckets;
-    for ( int i = 0; i < n_buckets; i++ ) {
-        payload->buckets[i] = NIL;
-    }
-
-    return result;
-}
-
 /**
  * Lisp funtion of up to four args (all optional), where
  * 
@@ -195,80 +94,9 @@ struct cons_pointer lisp_make_hashmap( struct stack_frame *frame,
         }
     }
 
-    return result;
-}
-
-/**
- * If this `ptr` is a pointer to a hashmap, return a new identical hashmap; 
- * else return an exception. 
- */
-struct cons_pointer clone_hashmap( struct cons_pointer ptr ) {
-    struct cons_pointer result = NIL;
-
-    if ( truep( authorised( ptr, NIL ) ) ) {
-        if ( hashmapp( ptr ) ) {
-            struct vector_space_object const *from = pointer_to_vso( ptr );
-
-            if ( from != NULL ) {
-                struct hashmap_payload from_pl = from->payload.hashmap;
-                result =
-                    make_hashmap( from_pl.n_buckets, from_pl.hash_fn,
-                                  from_pl.write_acl );
-                struct vector_space_object const *to = pointer_to_vso( result );
-                struct hashmap_payload to_pl = to->payload.hashmap;
-
-                for ( int i = 0; i < to_pl.n_buckets; i++ ) {
-                    to_pl.buckets[i] = from_pl.buckets[i];
-                    inc_ref( to_pl.buckets[i] );
-                }
-            }
-        }
-    } else {
-        result =
-                make_exception( c_string_to_lisp_string
-                                ( L"Arg to `clone_hashmap` must "
-                                  L"be a readable hashmap.`" ), NIL );
-    }
-
-    return result;
-}
-
-/**
- * Store this `val` as the value of this `key` in this hashmap `mapp`. If
- * current user is authorised to write to this hashmap, modifies the hashmap and
- * returns it; if not, clones the hashmap, modifies the clone, and returns that.
- */
-struct cons_pointer hashmap_put( struct cons_pointer mapp,
-                                 struct cons_pointer key,
-                                 struct cons_pointer val ) {
-    // TODO: if current user has write access to this hashmap
-    if ( hashmapp( mapp ) && !nilp( key ) ) {
-        struct vector_space_object *map = pointer_to_vso( mapp );
-
-        if ( nilp( authorised( mapp, map->payload.hashmap.write_acl ) ) ) {
-            mapp = clone_hashmap( mapp );
-            map = pointer_to_vso( mapp );
-        }
-        uint32_t bucket_no = get_hash( key ) % map->payload.hashmap.n_buckets;
-
-        map->payload.hashmap.buckets[bucket_no] =
-            inc_ref( make_cons( make_cons( key, val ),
-                                map->payload.hashmap.buckets[bucket_no] ) );
-    }
-
-    return mapp;
-}
-
-struct cons_pointer hashmap_get( struct cons_pointer mapp,
-                                 struct cons_pointer key ) {
-    struct cons_pointer result = NIL;
-    if ( hashmapp( mapp ) && truep( authorised( mapp, NIL ) ) && !nilp( key ) ) {
-        struct vector_space_object *map = pointer_to_vso( mapp );
-        uint32_t bucket_no = get_hash( key ) % map->payload.hashmap.n_buckets;
-
-        result = c_assoc( key, map->payload.hashmap.buckets[bucket_no] );
-    }
-
+    // TODO: I am not sure this is right! We do not inc_ref a string when
+    // we make it.
+    inc_ref(result);
     return result;
 }
 
@@ -282,35 +110,20 @@ struct cons_pointer hashmap_get( struct cons_pointer mapp,
 struct cons_pointer lisp_hashmap_put( struct stack_frame *frame,
                                       struct cons_pointer frame_pointer,
                                       struct cons_pointer env ) {
+    // TODO: if current user has write access to this hashmap
+
     struct cons_pointer mapp = frame->arg[0];
     struct cons_pointer key = frame->arg[1];
     struct cons_pointer val = frame->arg[2];
 
-    return hashmap_put( mapp, key, val );
-}
+    struct cons_pointer result = hashmap_put( mapp, key, val );
+    struct cons_space_object *cell = &pointer2cell( result);
+    // if (cell->count <= 1) {
+    //     inc_ref( result); // TODO: I DO NOT BELIEVE this is the right place! 
+    // }
+    return result;
 
-/**
- * Copy all key/value pairs in this association list `assoc` into this hashmap `mapp`. If
- * current user is authorised to write to this hashmap, modifies the hashmap and
- * returns it; if not, clones the hashmap, modifies the clone, and returns that.
- */
-struct cons_pointer hashmap_put_all( struct cons_pointer mapp,
-                                     struct cons_pointer assoc ) {
-    // TODO: if current user has write access to this hashmap
-    if ( hashmapp( mapp ) && !nilp( assoc ) ) {
-        struct vector_space_object *map = pointer_to_vso( mapp );
-
-        if ( hashmapp( mapp ) && consp( assoc ) ) {
-            for ( struct cons_pointer pair = c_car( assoc ); !nilp( pair );
-                  pair = c_car( assoc ) ) {
-                /* TODO: this is really hammering the memory management system, because
-                 * it will make a new lone for every key/value pair added. Fix. */
-                mapp = hashmap_put( mapp, c_car( pair ), c_cdr( pair ) );
-            }
-        }
-    }
-
-    return mapp;
+    // TODO: else clone and return clone.
 }
 
 /**
@@ -323,26 +136,6 @@ struct cons_pointer lisp_hashmap_put_all( struct stack_frame *frame,
     return hashmap_put_all( frame->arg[0], frame->arg[1] );
 }
 
-/**
- * return a flat list of all the keys in the hashmap indicated by `map`.
- */
-struct cons_pointer hashmap_keys( struct cons_pointer mapp ) {
-    struct cons_pointer result = NIL;
-    if ( hashmapp( mapp ) && truep( authorised( mapp, NIL ) ) ) {
-        struct vector_space_object *map = pointer_to_vso( mapp );
-
-        for ( int i = 0; i < map->payload.hashmap.n_buckets; i++ ) {
-            for ( struct cons_pointer c = map->payload.hashmap.buckets[i];
-                  !nilp( c ); c = c_cdr( c ) ) {
-                result = make_cons( c_car( c_car( c ) ), result );
-            }
-
-        }
-    }
-
-    return result;
-}
-
 struct cons_pointer lisp_hashmap_keys( struct stack_frame *frame,
                                        struct cons_pointer frame_pointer,
                                        struct cons_pointer env ) {
diff --git a/src/memory/hashmap.h b/src/memory/hashmap.h
index b6c4a74..05823bb 100644
--- a/src/memory/hashmap.h
+++ b/src/memory/hashmap.h
@@ -17,25 +17,11 @@
 
 #define DFLT_HASHMAP_BUCKETS 32
 
-uint32_t get_hash( struct cons_pointer ptr );
-
-void free_hashmap( struct cons_pointer ptr );
-
-void dump_map( URL_FILE * output, struct cons_pointer pointer );
-
-struct cons_pointer hashmap_get( struct cons_pointer mapp,
-                                 struct cons_pointer key );
-
-struct cons_pointer hashmap_put( struct cons_pointer mapp,
-                                 struct cons_pointer key,
-                                 struct cons_pointer val );
 
 struct cons_pointer lisp_get_hash( struct stack_frame *frame,
                                    struct cons_pointer frame_pointer,
                                    struct cons_pointer env );
 
-struct cons_pointer hashmap_keys( struct cons_pointer map );
-
 struct cons_pointer lisp_hashmap_put( struct stack_frame *frame,
                                       struct cons_pointer frame_pointer,
                                       struct cons_pointer env );
@@ -48,8 +34,5 @@ struct cons_pointer lisp_make_hashmap( struct stack_frame *frame,
                                        struct cons_pointer frame_pointer,
                                        struct cons_pointer env );
 
-struct cons_pointer make_hashmap( uint32_t n_buckets,
-                                  struct cons_pointer hash_fn,
-                                  struct cons_pointer write_acl );
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/memory/vectorspace.c b/src/memory/vectorspace.c
index 3616bf3..c46c798 100644
--- a/src/memory/vectorspace.c
+++ b/src/memory/vectorspace.c
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 #include "memory/hashmap.h"
 #include "memory/stack.h"
 #include "memory/vectorspace.h"
+#include "ops/intern.h"
 
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/ops/intern.c b/src/ops/intern.c
index cd80612..e908d56 100644
--- a/src/ops/intern.c
+++ b/src/ops/intern.c
@@ -18,12 +18,20 @@
  */
 
 #include <stdbool.h>
+/*
+ * wide characters
+ */
+#include <wchar.h>
+#include <wctype.h>
 
+#include "authorise.h"
+#include "debug.h"
+#include "io/io.h"
 #include "memory/conspage.h"
 #include "memory/consspaceobject.h"
-#include "debug.h"
-#include "ops/equal.h"
 #include "memory/hashmap.h"
+#include "ops/equal.h"
+#include "ops/intern.h"
 #include "ops/lispops.h"
 // #include "print.h"
 
@@ -39,6 +47,219 @@
  */
 struct cons_pointer oblist = NIL;
 
+/**
+ * Return a hash value for the structure indicated by `ptr` such that if
+ * `x`,`y` are two separate structures whose print representation is the same
+ * then `(sxhash x)` and `(sxhash y)` will always be equal.
+ */
+uint32_t sxhash( struct cons_pointer ptr ) {
+    // TODO: Not Yet Implemented
+    /* TODO: should look at the implementation of Common Lisp sxhash?
+     * My current implementation of `print` only addresses URL_FILE
+     * streams. It would be better if it also addressed strings but
+     * currently it doesn't. Creating a print string of the structure
+     * and taking the hash of that would be one simple (but not necessarily
+     * cheap) solution.
+     */
+    /* TODO: sbcl's implementation of `sxhash` is in src/compiler/sxhash.lisp
+     * and is EXTREMELY complex, and essentially has a different dispatch for
+     * every type of object. It's likely we need to do the same.
+     */
+    return 0;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Get the hash value for the cell indicated by this `ptr`; currently only
+ * implemented for string like things and integers.
+ */
+uint32_t get_hash( struct cons_pointer ptr ) {
+    struct cons_space_object *cell = &pointer2cell( ptr );
+    uint32_t result = 0;
+
+    switch ( cell->tag.value ) {
+        case INTEGERTV:
+            /* Note that we're only hashing on the least significant word of an
+             * integer. */
+            result = cell->payload.integer.value & 0xffffffff;
+            break;
+        case KEYTV:
+        case STRINGTV:
+        case SYMBOLTV:
+            result = cell->payload.string.hash;
+            break;
+        case TRUETV:
+            result = 1;         // arbitrarily
+            break;
+        default:
+            result = sxhash( ptr );
+            break;
+    }
+
+    return result;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Free the hashmap indicated by this `pointer`.
+ */
+void free_hashmap( struct cons_pointer pointer ) {
+    struct cons_space_object *cell = &pointer2cell( pointer );
+
+    if ( hashmapp( pointer ) ) {
+        struct vector_space_object *vso = cell->payload.vectorp.address;
+
+        dec_ref( vso->payload.hashmap.hash_fn );
+        dec_ref( vso->payload.hashmap.write_acl );
+
+        for ( int i = 0; i < vso->payload.hashmap.n_buckets; i++ ) {
+            if ( !nilp( vso->payload.hashmap.buckets[i] ) ) {
+                debug_printf( DEBUG_ALLOC,
+                              L"Decrementing bucket [%d] of hashmap at 0x%lx\n",
+                              i, cell->payload.vectorp.address );
+                dec_ref( vso->payload.hashmap.buckets[i] );
+            }
+        }
+    } else {
+        debug_printf( DEBUG_ALLOC, L"Non-hashmap passed to `free_hashmap`\n" );
+    }
+}
+
+
+/**
+ * Make a hashmap with this number of buckets, using this `hash_fn`. If 
+ * `hash_fn` is `NIL`, use the standard hash funtion.
+ */
+struct cons_pointer make_hashmap( uint32_t n_buckets,
+                                  struct cons_pointer hash_fn,
+                                  struct cons_pointer write_acl ) {
+    struct cons_pointer result = make_vso( HASHTV,
+                                           ( sizeof( struct cons_pointer ) *
+                                             ( n_buckets + 2 ) ) +
+                                           ( sizeof( uint32_t ) * 2 ) );
+
+    struct hashmap_payload *payload =
+        ( struct hashmap_payload * ) &pointer_to_vso( result )->payload;
+
+    payload->hash_fn = inc_ref( hash_fn );
+    payload->write_acl = inc_ref( write_acl );
+
+    payload->n_buckets = n_buckets;
+    for ( int i = 0; i < n_buckets; i++ ) {
+        payload->buckets[i] = NIL;
+    }
+
+    return result;
+}
+
+/**
+ * return a flat list of all the keys in the hashmap indicated by `map`.
+ */
+struct cons_pointer hashmap_keys( struct cons_pointer mapp ) {
+    struct cons_pointer result = NIL;
+    if ( hashmapp( mapp ) && truep( authorised( mapp, NIL ) ) ) {
+        struct vector_space_object *map = pointer_to_vso( mapp );
+
+        for ( int i = 0; i < map->payload.hashmap.n_buckets; i++ ) {
+            for ( struct cons_pointer c = map->payload.hashmap.buckets[i];
+                  !nilp( c ); c = c_cdr( c ) ) {
+                result = make_cons( c_car( c_car( c ) ), result );
+            }
+
+        }
+    }
+
+    return result;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Copy all key/value pairs in this association list `assoc` into this hashmap `mapp`. If
+ * current user is authorised to write to this hashmap, modifies the hashmap and
+ * returns it; if not, clones the hashmap, modifies the clone, and returns that.
+ */
+struct cons_pointer hashmap_put_all( struct cons_pointer mapp,
+                                     struct cons_pointer assoc ) {
+    // TODO: if current user has write access to this hashmap
+    if ( hashmapp( mapp ) ) {
+        struct vector_space_object *map = pointer_to_vso( mapp );
+
+        if ( consp( assoc ) ) {
+            for ( struct cons_pointer pair = c_car( assoc ); !nilp( pair );
+                  pair = c_car( assoc ) ) {
+                /* TODO: this is really hammering the memory management system, because
+                 * it will make a new lone for every key/value pair added. Fix. */
+                if (consp( pair)) {
+                    mapp = hashmap_put( mapp, c_car( pair ), c_cdr( pair ) );
+                } else if (hashmapp( pair)) {
+                    hashmap_put_all( mapp, pair);
+                } else {
+                    hashmap_put( mapp, pair, TRUE);
+                }
+                assoc = c_cdr( assoc);
+            }
+        } else if (hashmapp( assoc)) {
+            for (struct cons_pointer keys = hashmap_keys( mapp); !nilp( keys);
+                keys = c_cdr( keys)) {
+                struct cons_pointer key = c_car( keys);
+                hashmap_put( mapp, key, hashmap_get( assoc, key));
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    return mapp;
+}
+
+/** Get a value from a hashmap. 
+  *
+  * Note that this is here, rather than in memory/hashmap.c, because it is 
+  * closely tied in with c_assoc, q.v.
+  */
+struct cons_pointer hashmap_get( struct cons_pointer mapp,
+                                 struct cons_pointer key ) {
+    struct cons_pointer result = NIL;
+    if ( hashmapp( mapp ) && truep( authorised( mapp, NIL ) ) && !nilp( key ) ) {
+        struct vector_space_object *map = pointer_to_vso( mapp );
+        uint32_t bucket_no = get_hash( key ) % map->payload.hashmap.n_buckets;
+
+        result = c_assoc( key, map->payload.hashmap.buckets[bucket_no] );
+    }
+
+    return result;
+}
+
+/**
+ * If this `ptr` is a pointer to a hashmap, return a new identical hashmap; 
+ * else return an exception. 
+ */
+struct cons_pointer clone_hashmap( struct cons_pointer ptr ) {
+    struct cons_pointer result = NIL;
+
+    if ( truep( authorised( ptr, NIL ) ) ) {
+        if ( hashmapp( ptr ) ) {
+            struct vector_space_object const *from = pointer_to_vso( ptr );
+
+            if ( from != NULL ) {
+                struct hashmap_payload from_pl = from->payload.hashmap;
+                result =
+                    make_hashmap( from_pl.n_buckets, from_pl.hash_fn,
+                                  from_pl.write_acl );
+                struct vector_space_object const *to = pointer_to_vso( result );
+                struct hashmap_payload to_pl = to->payload.hashmap;
+
+                for ( int i = 0; i < to_pl.n_buckets; i++ ) {
+                    to_pl.buckets[i] = from_pl.buckets[i];
+                    inc_ref( to_pl.buckets[i] );
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    } else {
+        result =
+                make_exception( c_string_to_lisp_string
+                                ( L"Arg to `clone_hashmap` must "
+                                  L"be a readable hashmap.`" ), NIL );
+    }
+
+    return result;
+}
+
 /**
  * Implementation of interned? in C. The final implementation if interned? will
  * deal with stores which can be association lists or hashtables or hybrids of
@@ -53,21 +274,26 @@ internedp( struct cons_pointer key, struct cons_pointer store ) {
     struct cons_pointer result = NIL;
 
     if ( symbolp( key ) || keywordp( key ) ) {
-        for ( struct cons_pointer next = store;
-              nilp( result ) && consp( next );
-              next = pointer2cell( next ).payload.cons.cdr ) {
-            struct cons_space_object entry =
-                pointer2cell( pointer2cell( next ).payload.cons.car );
+        // TODO: I see what I was doing here and it would be the right thing to 
+        // do for stores which are old-fashioned assoc lists, but it will not work
+        // for my new hybrid stores.
+        // for ( struct cons_pointer next = store;
+        //       nilp( result ) && consp( next );
+        //       next = pointer2cell( next ).payload.cons.cdr ) {
+        //     struct cons_space_object entry =
+        //         pointer2cell( pointer2cell( next ).payload.cons.car );
 
-            debug_print( L"Internedp: checking whether `", DEBUG_BIND );
-            debug_print_object( key, DEBUG_BIND );
-            debug_print( L"` equals `", DEBUG_BIND );
-            debug_print_object( entry.payload.cons.car, DEBUG_BIND );
-            debug_print( L"`\n", DEBUG_BIND );
+        //     debug_print( L"Internedp: checking whether `", DEBUG_BIND );
+        //     debug_print_object( key, DEBUG_BIND );
+        //     debug_print( L"` equals `", DEBUG_BIND );
+        //     debug_print_object( entry.payload.cons.car, DEBUG_BIND );
+        //     debug_print( L"`\n", DEBUG_BIND );
 
-            if ( equal( key, entry.payload.cons.car ) ) {
-                result = entry.payload.cons.car;
-            }
+        //     if ( equal( key, entry.payload.cons.car ) ) {
+        //         result = entry.payload.cons.car;
+        //     }
+        if (!nilp( c_assoc( store, key))) {
+            result = key;
         }
     } else {
         debug_print( L"`", DEBUG_BIND );
@@ -135,6 +361,34 @@ struct cons_pointer c_assoc( struct cons_pointer key,
     return result;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Store this `val` as the value of this `key` in this hashmap `mapp`. If
+ * current user is authorised to write to this hashmap, modifies the hashmap and
+ * returns it; if not, clones the hashmap, modifies the clone, and returns that.
+ */
+struct cons_pointer hashmap_put( struct cons_pointer mapp,
+                                 struct cons_pointer key,
+                                 struct cons_pointer val ) {
+    if ( hashmapp( mapp ) && !nilp( key ) ) {
+        struct vector_space_object *map = pointer_to_vso( mapp );
+
+        if ( nilp( authorised( mapp, map->payload.hashmap.write_acl ) ) ) {
+            mapp = clone_hashmap( mapp );
+            map = pointer_to_vso( mapp );
+        }
+        uint32_t bucket_no = get_hash( key ) % map->payload.hashmap.n_buckets;
+
+        // TODO: if there are too many values in the bucket, rehash the whole 
+        // hashmap to a bigger number of buckets, and return that.
+
+        map->payload.hashmap.buckets[bucket_no] =
+            inc_ref( make_cons( make_cons( key, val ),
+                                map->payload.hashmap.buckets[bucket_no] ) );
+    }
+
+    return mapp;
+}
+
     /**
      * Return a new key/value store containing all the key/value pairs in this
      * store with this key/value pair added to the front.
@@ -151,9 +405,14 @@ struct cons_pointer set( struct cons_pointer key, struct cons_pointer value,
     debug_dump_object( store, DEBUG_BIND );
     debug_println( DEBUG_BIND );
 
-    if ( nilp( store ) || consp( store ) ) {
+    debug_printf( DEBUG_BIND, L"set: store is %s\n`", lisp_string_to_c_string( c_type( store)) );
+    if (nilp( value)) {
+        result = store;
+    }
+    else if ( nilp( store ) || consp( store ) ) {
         result = make_cons( make_cons( key, value ), store );
     } else if ( hashmapp( store ) ) {
+        debug_print( L"set: storing in hashmap\n", DEBUG_BIND);
         result = hashmap_put( store, key, value );
     }
 
@@ -172,6 +431,7 @@ struct cons_pointer set( struct cons_pointer key, struct cons_pointer value,
 struct cons_pointer
 deep_bind( struct cons_pointer key, struct cons_pointer value ) {
     debug_print( L"Entering deep_bind\n", DEBUG_BIND );
+
     struct cons_pointer old = oblist;
 
     debug_print( L"deep_bind: binding `", DEBUG_BIND );
diff --git a/src/ops/intern.h b/src/ops/intern.h
index fa17563..6be9cbc 100644
--- a/src/ops/intern.h
+++ b/src/ops/intern.h
@@ -22,12 +22,41 @@
 
 extern struct cons_pointer oblist;
 
+uint32_t get_hash( struct cons_pointer ptr );
+
+void free_hashmap( struct cons_pointer ptr );
+
+void dump_map( URL_FILE * output, struct cons_pointer pointer );
+
+struct cons_pointer hashmap_get( struct cons_pointer mapp,
+                                 struct cons_pointer key );
+
+struct cons_pointer hashmap_put( struct cons_pointer mapp,
+                                 struct cons_pointer key,
+                                 struct cons_pointer val );
+                
+struct cons_pointer hashmap_put_all( struct cons_pointer mapp,
+                                     struct cons_pointer assoc );
+
+struct cons_pointer hashmap_keys( struct cons_pointer map );
+
+struct cons_pointer make_hashmap( uint32_t n_buckets,
+                                  struct cons_pointer hash_fn,
+                                  struct cons_pointer write_acl );
+
 struct cons_pointer c_assoc( struct cons_pointer key,
                              struct cons_pointer store );
 
 struct cons_pointer internedp( struct cons_pointer key,
                                struct cons_pointer environment );
 
+struct cons_pointer hashmap_get( struct cons_pointer mapp,
+                                 struct cons_pointer key );
+
+struct cons_pointer hashmap_put( struct cons_pointer mapp,
+                                 struct cons_pointer key,
+                                 struct cons_pointer val );
+
 struct cons_pointer set( struct cons_pointer key,
                          struct cons_pointer value,
                          struct cons_pointer store );
diff --git a/src/ops/lispops.c b/src/ops/lispops.c
index 7d1a761..236a290 100644
--- a/src/ops/lispops.c
+++ b/src/ops/lispops.c
@@ -527,7 +527,8 @@ lisp_eval( struct stack_frame *frame, struct cons_pointer frame_pointer,
             /*
              * \todo
              * the Clojure practice of having a map serve in the function place of
-             * an s-expression is a good one and I should adopt it;
+             * an s-expression is a good one and I should adopt it; 
+             * H'mmm... this is working, but it isn't here. Where is it?
              */
         default:
             result = frame->arg[0];
diff --git a/src/repl.c b/src/repl.c
index bef08b1..b68fa1c 100644
--- a/src/repl.c
+++ b/src/repl.c
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 #include <stdbool.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <wchar.h>
+#include <signal.h>
 
 #include "memory/consspaceobject.h"
 #include "debug.h"
@@ -17,11 +18,20 @@
 #include "ops/lispops.h"
 #include "memory/stack.h"
 
+/**
+ * @brief Handle an interrupt signal.
+ * 
+ * @param dummy 
+ */
+void int_handler(int dummy) {
+    wprintf(L"TODO: handle ctrl-C in a more interesting way\n");
+}
 
 /**
  * The read/eval/print loop.
  */
 void repl(  ) {
+    signal(SIGINT, int_handler);
     debug_print( L"Entered repl\n", DEBUG_REPL );
 
     struct cons_pointer env =